The year I turned 13, I read LotR fully 13 times. From there I drifted into Gary Gygax's Greyhawk campaign and working for him at TSR in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin throughout high school.

Favorite Tolkien character:

Finrod Felagund of the Golden House of Finarfin, brother to Galadriel and Lord of Nargothrond, greatest of all the Noldor Realms in Exile.Though Noldor in name, in Finrod blend all three kindreds of the Eldar. Finrod's boldness of spirit and gnomic curiosity and loremasteryhe owes to his grandfather, Finw� himself. His shining hair of finest gold, his ever-faithfulness, his respect for all others, and his sweet gentleness come from Indis, his Vanyar grandmother. And from E�rwen his Teleri mother comes Finrod's powerful voice and love of song, for the Teleri were always the songmasters (save Maglor alone, if he still lingers). In Middle-earth, Finrod was the friend of C�rdan and Thingol, his kinsmen. Friend too was he of the Naugrim, from whom he learned much, and they of him likewise. Most importantly, Finrod was the friend of Men--and of one man in particular, a man whose heirs wear Finrod's ring even to our day. Their friendship changed everything forever. Finrod was he who first came upon the folk of B�or when these came over the Ered Lune, greeting them alseep in their camps by harping and singling so gently and movingly that the men at first wonder E�nw� or even Orom� had come upon them. A mighty singer, Finrod battled Sauron in song during the Quest for the Silmarils. Placing honor and friendship above his own life, he sacrified himself for Beren's sake. By this selfless act, the Quest eventually saw fulfilment, and EVERYTHING that has happened since would not be so, if that one complete act of giving had been held back. A gentle and beautiful soul, filled with power and riches yet dominated by neither, the Halls of Mandos did not long keep his spirit discarnate; Mandos granted Finrod early release to return to his own body restored to beauty and strength. Today Finrod walks singing beneath the trees in Eldamar, there with with Finarfin his father and with Galadriel his long-lost sister. There too he was reunited with Amari� of the Vanyar, his beloved, who though sundered by a great ocean and by long years had waited faithfully for his return. Amari� knew that Finrod could be trusted not merely to death's doorstep, but beyond. And so it was.